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The Vision of THE MARCH

Today, THE MARCH...Coming Together To Conquer Cancer^TM is a historic national event and an advocacy movement uniting cancer survivors, scientists, healthcare providers, advocates and the public. Its goal is to make the treatment, cure and prevention of cancer our nation's top research and healthcare priority. On September 25 & 26, 1998, campaign supporters will converge on Washington, D.C. and communities across the country in an unprecedented show of unity to demand: NO MORE CANCER.

The goal of THE MARCH is to demand of the nation no less than the resources necessary to conquer cancer. This means allocating sufficient funds to support an aggressive cancer research agenda, providing access to quality cancer care for all Americans, and increasing the number of education and prevention programs.

Why THE MARCH?

Supporters say there are many reasons for THE MARCH:

• One in two men and one in three women will battle cancer during his or her lifetime.
  
• Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under 15.
  
• Cancer costs this country approximately $115 billion a year in direct medical costs and in lost productivity. That's about 50 times the federal investment in cancer research.
  
• Only one penny of every $10 we pay in taxes goes to cancer research.
  
• A majority of the 1.2 million new cases of cancer diagnosed this year will be attributed to tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, diet, obesity and lifestyle. Education and prevention programs are effective tools, yet are not widely available, particularly among our minority and elderly populations where cancer rates continue to rise.
  

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Friday, September 25
Events in the nation's capital will begin that evening with a candlelight vigil at the Lincoln Memorial. The vigil will honor the memory of those lost to cancer and celebrate the lives of survivors. All 535 members of Congress will be invited to hold a candle for their state or district in remembrance of the 535,000 American lives lost to cancer each year. A brief interfaith service will conclude the program.

Saturday, September 26
Throughout the morning, cancer education and prevention displays and many other activities will be held at various sites on The Mall. At noon thousands of MARCH supporters from across the nation will gather for a rally on The Mall near the Capitol. THE MARCH will conclude that evening with a benefit concert at Constitution Hall celebrating the call to action.

THE MARCH Across America

Plans are under way for candlelight vigils, town hall meetings, local marches and rallies, survivors' days, and many other activities in cities all around the U.S. Many states are also organizing delegations to participate in the Washington, D.C. events.

Major events are being planned in cancer centers, where cancer researchers and physicians are uniting with survivors and families in support of THE MARCH.

Many communities will play host to a variety of MARCH events leading up to and on September 25 & 26. One such event is the "Conquer Cancer Coast To Coast" bicycle ride. Beginning in late July, breast cancer survivor Dani Grady of San Diego will lead other cancer survivors on this 11-week, 3,600-mile ride across the country's mid-section. The riders will end their trek with a group ride from Virginia into Washington, D.C. for THE MARCH activities.

Much remains to be done, but the momentum is steadily building, bringing the possibility of a future without cancer closer to reality.

The Beginning of THE MARCH

THE MARCH began with a candid discussion about cancer, survivorship, research, and politics. Otherwise unlikely allies publicly shared their feelings about a disease that brutally disrupted each of their lives. During an April 7, 1997, broadcast of "Larry King Live," the lives of survivorship advocate Ellen Stovall, ABC News commentator Sam Donaldson, financier Michael Milken and other cancer survivors took yet another unexpected twist. In his trademark brassy fashion, King asked if cancer survivors should form an army and march on Washington, D.C. to demand a cure for cancer.

The suggestion took hold and THE MARCH...Coming Together To Conquer Cancer^TM was announced six months later on King's program. During the program, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (U.S. Army, Ret.), a cancer survivor, called in and agreed to serve as Honorary Chair of THE MARCH.

Schwarzkopf continues to issue a call-to-action to Americans: "When the American people see how woefully underfunded cancer research is, they will be mad as hell," he says. "I'm going to be at THE MARCH, and I challenge every other cancer survivor and every other American to be there with me."

What began with a small group has become inclusive of everyone. Every organization with an interest is standing together to communicate the message that cancer can be conquered—and a commitment must be made now to do no less.

THE MARCH Today

To help make THE MARCH vision a reality, philanthropist and cancer advocate Sidney Kimmel stepped forward to become its major sponsor. Additional contributions have come from CaP CURE, as well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and private citizens. Tremendous support from the grassroots—Americans from all walks of life—is making the dream of THE MARCH a reality. More than 1,000 national, state, and local medical, professional, advocacy, business, labor and civic organizations have become involved in THE MARCH.

An enthusiastic and hard-working group of cancer advocates and survivors comprise the MARCH Board of Directors—all of whom have stepped forward to do whatever it takes to make THE MARCH the real turning point in our long battle to conquer this group of diseases.

A Research Task Force of THE MARCH, comprised of more than 180 of the nation's leading cancer scientists and clinicians, cancer survivors and advocates, is working to identify barriers to progress in cancer research. This task force will recommend to federal and health officials action that must be taken to remove barriers and accelerate progress in all areas of cancer research.

To meet the growing demand of supporters and organizers, THE MARCH headquarters opened in donated space in downtown Washington, D.C. An experienced manager and staff, which will soon grow to more than 100 people, have been engaged to organize, coordinate, and implement the Washington, D.C. events and link them with other MARCH-related activities nationwide.

Staff at the national headquarters provide assistance with media and event planning, merchandising supplies for local organizers, information on transportation (airlines, trains, buses), overnight accommodations (hotels, churches, hostels, and more) and events scheduled for Washington, D.C. and elsewhere.

THE MARCH Fund for Cancer Education is coordinating national organizing efforts and events in Washington, D.C. Across the country, survivors and their wide network of supporters are organizing MARCH-related activities in their communities and delegations to the national event.

THE MARCH—After September 26, 1998

THE MARCH does not end September 26, 1998. THE MARCH Fund for Cancer Advocacy intends to launch the formation of a new alliance of empowered individuals and groups from the public and private sectors. It is envisioned that this alliance, with ties to communities and existing patient, medical, business, education, survivor, and research groups, could become an education and advocacy leader in the war on cancer.

Some of the reasons such an educational and political advocacy organization is needed:

• To remove the barrier of apathy—apathy that cancer cannot be conquered, or that only certain cancers can be cured and prevented.
  
• To engage the American public in communicating to Congress and the Administration the magnitude of the cancer problem. This would reflect the millions of lives lost since President Nixon declared war on cancer in 1971, and the incalculable cost to society versus the inadequate annual investments that never supported a full-scale war against cancer. Cancer care costs roughly 50 times more than the federal investment in cancer research—$115 billion a year in costs versus the $2.3 billion budget for the National Cancer Institute.
  
• To communicate to the American public and to all branches of government the extraordinary promise of prior investments in cancer research as a basis for defining what is possible today—so that new and necessary resources be made available to complete the research agenda. This requires a unified communication effort involving the National Cancer Institute, other government agencies working in cancer, professional scientific societies, survivors, and advocacy groups.
  
• To ensure that progress is made in meeting the needs of the poor, medically underserved, and minority populations. THE MARCH Research Task Force will make recommendations in areas of strategic translational research initiatives, special populations and underfunded research.
  
• To engage the private sector in all aspects of cancer research and translation of research into new products and strategies to prevent, detect and treat all cancers. Incentives are needed for the private sector to engage in public/private partnerships in all areas of treatment, early detection, and prevention of cancer.
  
• To define and demand knowledgeable, unified policy-making and regulatory approaches to facilitate and support this new national effort to conquer cancer. It is anticipated that the successor organization would work with legislators to assist in cancer policy making and streamlining of the regulatory process for new cancer technologies.
  
• To demand that our government examine the impact of new systems of healthcare delivery and managed care on the cure and prevention of cancer. The successor organization would work with managed care organizations and with Congress to ensure that all cancer patients receive state-of-the-art care and new technologies for early detection and prevention.
  

THE MARCH will create an unequaled opportunity to come together on September 25 & 26, 1998, and thereafter to turn the tide against cancer, with a successor organization dedicated to education, political advocacy and action.

Cancer survivors and researchers; the elderly, who will bear the brunt of the cancer problem in the next few years; labor organizations, who will bear much of the costs; and families, who do not want to lose any more loved ones to cancer will unite with all Americans in an unprecedented educational and political advocacy movement—a movement that will continue until we conquer cancer.

The successor organization would be empowered to deliver a strong message to Congress and the Administration: "You must do whatever it takes to end this devastating disease. We are watching, and we will hold you accountable."

How You Can Join THE MARCH

If you have not yet joined THE MARCH, it isn't too late. Take the initiative in your community to organize local events and/or make plans to join us in Washington, D.C. on September 25 & 26, 1998. THE MARCH is your opportunity to honor those we have lost to cancer and to celebrate those who have survived. Join THE MARCH as we say: No more patience. No more excuses. NO MORE CANCER.

Here Are Ways You Can Help: Bring or join a delegation from your community to THE MARCH in Washington, D.C., September 25 & 26, 1998, via buses, trains, planes, caravans. Add your name to the National Register of Americans who demand an end to cancer. Organize or join an activity in your community. Network with other providers, survivors, advocacy groups, schools, civic organizations. Contact THE MARCH headquarters for an action packet. Volunteer at THE MARCH headquarters and at the Washington, D.C. events. Make a tax-deductible donation.

 

Lodging and Travel Accommodations Are Filling Rapidly for the Washington, D.C. Events: Contact: Capitol Reservations: 1-800-847-4832. Corniche Travel: 1-877-267-6424. (Inquire about MARCH discounts)

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. Events At-A-Glance: Friday, September 25, 1998 Candlelight vigil and interfaith service, Lincoln Memorial. Saturday, September 26, 1998 Morning cancer education and prevention displays, entertainment, other activities at various locations on The Mall. Noon rally on The Mall, near the Capitol.

 

For further information, contact:

THE MARCH
1730 K Street NW, Fourth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20006
Toll-free phone:1-877-THE MARCH
Fax:202-861-4794

e-mail:info{at}themarch.org
Website:www.themarch.org

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